gcom007

Can you guys read? Where did I say anything about his performance in this game in that post? Anywhere? Bueller? Bueller? Facts: Flip has 1 assist for 1 point in his last 7 games. Franzen has 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in his last 7 games. Bertuzzi has 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points in his last 7 games. While Bert's not doing much for himself, it's tough to criticize Flip's "slumping" line mates for Flip's inability to get points when they've both got better numbers lately than Flip. And again, I didn't say anything about his performance in this game. Go reading comprehension...

Last time I checked Flip has been "slumping" too. Oh, and his slumping line mates still have better totals and +/- than Flip. Hmm...

Kinda had an odd feeling like that myself...hopefully these negative thoughts will cancel each other out.

No. The little piece of sheeyit got an assist on a Malkin goal.

I meant that in response to the goal, in that I was surprised they were able to pull it off. They're not making smart decisions with the puck to give themselves room to make plays. Right idea, poor execution. Thanks Helm. Yep.

Surprising. Maybe it's just that we've been on the power play so much, but the Blues just look too rushed on these plays to score. I didn't expect that. Hmm...

Oh, Hudler...so strong in there...

I agree. Franzen is a good example of working to it. That guy worked and worked and worked. You can search for it here: I was calling a legitimate, big-time Franzen breakout way ahead of when it actually happened. Why? He was a guy who did a lot of things right who worked his ass off. He had the skill set. I think some of those injuries really got to his head (no pun intended) and slowed down development but if you watched the guy over the years, I think you could see he was really building to something big. I don't see that with Flip at all. As you said and as I've said again and again, what you see seems to be what you get. He hasn't changed much from the start. I've said all along he's a 40-50 point peak player at best offensively. Not bad, but not at all close to the 70-80 some have suggested he's capable of. Datsyuk is on another level. That guy will be doing things that look "wrong" until 5 seconds later he's "magically" in the right place at the perfect time. You don't get at all just how good he is unless you're at the game. The TV cameras don't pick up how this guy exists in the flow of the entire play. He's got that sixth sense almost like Gretzky where he's just so many steps ahead of everybody else. In contrast to that, I don't think Flip gets his own game let alone anyone elses enough to be a great offensive player. He works hard in a sense in that he hustles, but sometimes you're over-hustling because you don't know where you really need to be. That's Flip. To me, it's really more of a shame that they won't just let him be the player he really is. I don't think the pressure is good for him or the team. If we need more scoring, we should (or should've...) traded him for someone with a more well-rounded offensive skill set. If not, let Flip be who he is and stop trying to force him into a role that doesn't suit his skill set. It's a disservice to him and the team. It's like this... BAD IDEA!!!

Lidstrom: "We were still encouraged after the two first periods. We had a lot of shots. I think we had over 40 shots after 2 periods. But they got a quick goal on us right away in the 3rd, and then they answered with another one in 3 minutes and that deflated us."

I just want to say, the #40 and #13 talk. Right now, I don't see Zetterberg up there. He gets a lot more attention it seems and he won that Conn Smythe trophy, but through the years, I really think Datsyuk has been the better player. I tend to think Datsyuk is truly one of the best offensive players in the game, easily top 5 in any given year. But on top of that, he's incredible in our end, the takeaways, hell, even his hitting, which he does far more of than many people realize. Dats already got the 1 Hart nom and there's a good chance he may pick up another this year the way it's going. If he hits 100 points, I think he could win because he's such a complete player. Zetterberg is a great player no doubt, but I really just don't think he's as good or as important of a player to this team and to the league than Datsyuk is. And I think while Datsyuk may deserve it by the end, I wouldn't say it's a lock yet. So it's just tough for me to think of Zetterberg as being up there right now. We'll see...

I don't buy the potential. He's never shown himself to be even close to consistent at any point in time in his career. He's been a streaky player from day 1. Flashes of brilliance don't demonstrate potential to me. They're all pros. They're all capable of making good plays, but to be able to do so consistently is the key, and again, Flips never come close to showing he can do that. He doesn't have a great shot and he just doesn't have those legitimate goal scoring skills. They would've done better signing him for less money and trying to develop him into a Draper with skill. Signing him based on a "best-case" evaluation of his potential was a rare misstep by Holland. And to this day, pushing a heavy offensive role on him continues to be a mistake. I mean, how many times has this damn article been written since Flips second season??? Read more: Mike Babcock wants Valtteri Filppula to shoot more as Red Wings host Kings | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20101213/SPORTS05/101213011/Mike-Babcock-wants-Valtteri-Filppula-to-shoot-more-as-Red-Wings-host-Kings#ixzz183bXRMjz I've been scratching my head on this guy from the start. I started pulling my hair out when he signed for 5 years. Now, I'm just apathetic. I don't get how so few people can see that we keep saying the same thing about him now again and again. Like...this is his 4th breakout year now...???...shoot the puck more...again...???...it's like Groundhogs Day with this guy. I really do think he's a descent NHL player and if he focused on his strengths, I think he's got Selke-level defensive skills. But the guy just doesn't have what it takes to put up big points let alone goals. People need to get over it, including Red Wings management. I just wish they would've done so before they let Hossa go to Chicago... (I'm still so, so bitter about that.)

I can't believe he's not getting more penalties in the process the way he throws his stick around in these plays. I feel like if he was actually making an impact he'd get called, but he's so weak even when flinging his stick around at guys. It's just kinda pathetic. He's been such a disappointment... And once again, he and Flip not living up to hype is why I was so damn pissed Holland didn't pass on Huds and trade Flip to sign Hossa. We'd do well to have one less guy fighting for a spot. It's ridiculous that Eaves and Miller have to rotate at all. At least Flip is a descent player in our end though. Huds? Just, all sorts of sad this year.

Proportional to their roles, who had a better effort tonight? Howard in goal or the offense? Did the offense generate a lot of chances, put a lot of pressure on Quick, put a lot of shots on goal, etc...? The offense posted a very solid effort that on any other night easily would've translated to at the very least 2-3 goals if not more. Quick robbed them, pure and simple. He played as close to perfect as possible and we tested him HARD. I don't hold this loss against them. I don't blame them. It's a stupid thing to do on a night like this. Meanwhile, Howard let 5 goals in, many of which were softer in nature. There's absolutely something to be said for Howard not coming up with a big save to keep it close. That 3rd goal sealed it. When you're playing a goalie who's having a great game and you give up a quick one right off the bat in the 3rd to allow for a 3-goal lead, the game's pretty much over. But again, we didn't score, so it's also pretty stupid to blame Howard for this loss. At the same time, though, he did play pretty bad. To me, it's not that the Wings lost this game. It wasn't that simple. The real story: Quick won this game.

Not tonight.

Yikes, just browsing Howard's game log. His last 10 weren't exactly great. 4 great starts and 6 subpar, sub-.900 sv.% starts. Tonight was the worst of them and makes for 7 average to rough starts in the last 11 games. I don't know if he's just getting overworked, but he'd do well to work on that consistency. It's easy to forget after a shut out or that great Montreal outing, but generally, he hasn't exactly been hot lately the majority of the time.

They're out their making big plays that on any other night would translate to a lot of goals! They're not just put zing around out there doing. "nothing" at all. They played a strong game and just got beat by a goalie having one of those perfect nights. It was for no lack of effort and certainly not a lack in quality of effort. They had some absolutely great scoring chances and they were just robbed by Quick. While it's silly to throw Jimmy under the bus, he certainly did not come up even close to big. He played a bad game, plain and simple. Can't blame him for the loss when we can't score, but he still played a bad game. But at the same time, you can't in your right mind try and suggest that our offense did "nothing" tonight. That is just absurd. Quick was the difference in this game, plain and simple.

I agree about Howard but it's not as if the offense has done nothing. They've generated quality scoring chances and controlled the puck in the Kings zone often, but Quick is just having one of those games. This isn't one of those games where the offense just plain sucks. They just met a goalie playing an inspired game. They play this game again tomorrow and we could be up by 5. As some have said, it's not an embarrassing game, just a frustrating, s***ty game.

LA got their game together on that first commercial break. Detroit controlled starting out and the Kings couldn't make plays through the neutral zone. After the break the started playing dump and chase hockey and they got the quick goal. The rest is history. Oh yeah, and then Quick's just been insane...

400th win at home on Wednesday? I'll take it.

Damn. Games like this aren't worth getting pissed about because they could play it again tomorrow and it could just as easily be 5-2 Wings. Some games are just s***ty ass games.

No point. Game's over. Quick is beating us. Howard's not playing well but he hasn't exactly been horrible either. Just a s***ty game.

Wow. Tough one with the deflection but this is certainly not going to be a memorable start for Jimmy... So, maybe Osgood is getting his 400th win on Wednesday?

1 juicy rebound forgivable. 2? Not so much. Not Howard's best night...

It's going to be 2-0 quick if they're not careful...